The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-11-11
SEQUEL TO AN ELOPEMENT.


When old SilvertolI, the tea broker died in
the frlllneEB of years and the odor of city re-
gpectaDility, it was pretty generally prOphe-
sled that his widow would not long remain
ucOusolablG. For Mrs. SilSertOn was but
httlc over thirty. being a good forty years
younger than her late husband: sho was
goOd-loolinG, attractive and without draw
backs in the shape of children. More i'm
portant, perhaps, thsn ell, she had 4 comfort
able income Of six Thousand year, which she
did not lose in the case of n second marriage.
But Tor some time Mrs. Silverton falgi-
fed the predictions OF her acquaiut-
aneeg. She removed from the preten-
tious and doleful spicndor Of her defunct
Epuuse'g mansion at Norwood, aud took
n nrettv little house in Mayfair, With her
brother. Major OraBhgT, she went out mnch
into BOciety-better society, be it said, than
old SilvertOu liRd been WOnttO mix without
for a long time she evinCCd no intention what
ever OF changing her cgndltlQn. This tRct
somewhat astOniGhed the quid-nuncs, but
there were Revera. reasons for her delay in
making fresh matrimonial experiment. 10
begin with, her trst had not been successful,
for EllvertOu WIS q terrible old cad, and q
domestic tyrant To boot; then, the widow was
Of romantic and sentimental disposition all
the more, perhaps because her hrst marriage
had been one OF convenience, and she deter
mined now to marry no man with whom she
WAS not in love; and, thirdly Major OrRBher
WAS a very BeriouB obstacle IN the way Of
prospective husbands This worthy gentle
man, in fact, lived upon his sister; he had
retired from the army ON hah-pay at forty,
and his whole income aid nOb exceed 440O a
yenr-an amount which, needless toBay, by no
means correspOnded with his wants. Hence
he spared no effort 70 induce his sister to
remain in state Of widpwhOOdr and many
were the devices 10 which he Iesorted in order
to gain this end. Some Of her Euitors he ab-
Bouteiy frightened away, for lac WAS Il big,
iernciouB-lOGiElnE man, and q notorious
bruiRer; to oiheTs=the ilnDseuniuus Unes-he
lent money in small sums, and then dunned
them 30 peTHiBtently that they gave up visit
ing; and, If he Thought q man was really
dangerous, he had lEnaek OF picking up
some queer detpil about his past life, which
Of course, he retSlled 10 Mrs. SilyerJoR, and
SO ON through the list. Aud, so long as this
lRdyis own afieotons were not deeply en-
gagged, the hnjor's plans worked TO perfec-
But among the most frequent visitors nj
the widows house in Durz0n street was 8
gentleman who waH beyond the reach alike Oi
The majUTs tnreats or persuasionF, and fol
that reason caused the crafty warrior endless
nneuRiness and perturbation Of spirit. Ant
this was the Hon. Hercy HAplGBs, younger
brother Of the Earl Of CoilertOl. The Hon
Percy possessed every qualification calculated
W recommend him IN female eyes, eXcep
cash, character and reputation Every RyailR
bic SOVEREIGN he had long since got rid of,ent
he RubRsted now mon his wits and fey
hundreds dgingly dDled out 10 him by hi
brother, His character was more than shady
ard his dcalinGs with the fair Sex notoiiopsl
stsudOiuns. Sill, he was q popular sort o
sritmp: women liked him because he wa
handsome amusing, sympathetic, aud me-
who w0nld rot have dreamed Of beng mike
NJ with him ~ money transactions, yote
him en- excellent companion and q goo
HpprIslnaT. Hlal wonder that the major
heart FaIlk within him when thir faBcinatin
petsonage begsn 70 lay siege to the hand an
ftqrtUueGf Mrs Siiyertun.
Et'Mhy do you let that fellow hang abou
you7n he inquired one day Of his HiBter
WHAT fellow n she asked with assume
''Whg. that scamp, Rapless, Of COURSE
gTOwlGd the major -
;Aig deeE Alec, because he's so useful. II
hFEangosaH my PARTIES for me- and settle
the decorations; he's mnHlgali too and find
out the new WSitZes: beeidOF, he has Buol
taste Look low beautifully he has drape
those eurtaina n
SCAMP, ] tel yoni He'd sBindie anybody
and, 81 for Women--5
''Weli he doesn't BWindie me- said Mrs
Sllsertopt snapplHhly, and ~ knows az "a
And be does not maze love q me, either
Hha continued, with slightly heightenei
color which u moro than ! can say 10
sonic Of your friends.
The major saw that be had gone too far.
Onls meant TO wern you, Teresa, " he 70
marked hHmhy don'E think he IL q de
arabic friend
sYon are always warning me, she re
torted. aud the snlieet dropped; but GTasiel
felt instinctiyaly that there Was danger Il
the air-and he was right,
H.
The attraction Of the Hon Percy had, nm.
doebtedlY, masle n deep Impression upon the
WIDOWS hesFt. She was romantic and senti.
mental, and 40 was be, when it asliied his
purpose % be 20. He quoted poetry 70 her
Byron, Shelley and Do MuEsat; his Laste Ia
window curtains aud wall papers was nninl-
peachahie; he could alIig q little, play the
piano little. ard W6s never alta loss for con-
YefBhtion. ptHl, she diaifusted INN, aud had
u not been for the nai0i'a Narping-- NV hieh
oieourBe had an etieey exactly contrary to
that which Wue iiitesided--hlf. Rapieas might
not hRle staud so high IN her good graeea
There IVES also apnthcF season which dis
posed her to isten faYoTabiy 10 the Hon.
HeEcy's adYaneesl and fhis uRs such an eEli.
nsntly feminine one Is to require fplne Little
elueidtnon, Among her ediaite1s Nas GER
tatn John t-angtan, q bafrister, eotnpara-
bvsly bE9efeAs, poor, raReryed ana deaper-
afely prqnad. Inngt0u canie y the ilttls
ponTe n Curxon street, apparently because
heeoQld not help lllEQHeif; he never made love
80 lDe widow, which piqlisd her rot q Little;
but thln ne 81ercely evcr opened his hpa To
any otiler eUniais4-a fact which AROUSED her
lrtffeft- he WEI never leleas, 4 brilliant
sApf dAsn he CHOKE r. exert himself, asatl
tfs nltYe1gQo ttaA eieyeg ens&RA " NC tha5
- n ~ tsaAiy N lows Niiii neF 0ut WHs sffHEl
eAf slss lie ~ sctlQit iEas u should IS Dni
@sttt ~ mere lu4tii-ie-n HHtlufi. 1fton at
49, Aatlq4lg Elis t,arleas i.g.fl,.f in
4slp tne Aci&g NJ E1usins hia ioni